Bastard Boys
Encyclopedia
Bastard Boys is an Australian television miniseries
broadcast on the ABC
in 2007. It tells the story of the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute
.
, Josh's War from the point of view of lawyer Josh Bornstein
, Sean's War form the point of view of dock worker Sean McSwain and Chris' War from the point of view of Patrick Stevedores
Managing Director Chris Corrigan
.
Another example of invention was the placing of lawyer Josh Bornstein at a key protest, which would have been illegal because of a court injunction
said in 2006 (whilst still in production) that the series "smacks of another example of wasteful spending by the ABC, being used to drive an anti-government, pro-left agenda, conveniently timed to appear during an election year". Journalist Michael Duffy
described the series as "the most blatant union propaganda" and was critical that "80 per cent of the story is told from the union point of view". The Age
's Debi Enker, however, described it as a "thoughtful, illuminating and superbly cast account of a seminal event in our recent history [which] represents exactly the kind of drama that one would want the national broadcaster to nurture."
Chris Corrigan
was heavily critical of the series, stating after its screening that "The program portrays a series of predictable stereotypes and silly caricatures and gives them real names then cleverly claims to be a drama and hence does not explore any inconvenient truths such as the impact of the waterfront rorts on ordinary Australians."
Then-Prime Minister John Howard declared the series "One of the most lopsided pieces of political propaganda I've seen on the national broadcaster in years" and argued that it completely ignored the notorious inefficiency of the Australian waterfront and years of collaborative failures to change this.
Criticism has also emerged from some members of the union movement. According to Phillip Adams
, Bill Kelty
was concerned that "no researcher, writer or producer - spoke to him about the dispute or his role in it. Yet they haven't hesitated to put words into their Kelty's mouth that the original Kelty never said".. Chris Corrigan
's brother Derek Corrigan has disputed claims that the broadcasting of Bastard Boys was timed to support Greg Combet
's run for politics "..
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
broadcast on the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in 2007. It tells the story of the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute
1998 Australian waterfront dispute
The Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a watershed event in Australian Industrial Relations history, in which the Patrick Corporation undertook a restructuring of their operations for the purpose of increasing the productivity of their workforce...
.
Plot
The series tells the story of the waterfront dispute from four points of view: Greg's War from the point of view of union leader Greg CombetGreg Combet
Gregory Ivan Combet AM MP is an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions between 2000 and 2007...
, Josh's War from the point of view of lawyer Josh Bornstein
Josh Bornstein
Josh Bornstein is an Australian Lawyer. He is the son of former ALP State MP David Bornstein. Josh is a Principal at Maurice Blackburn where he heads the national Employment & Industrial Law practice....
, Sean's War form the point of view of dock worker Sean McSwain and Chris' War from the point of view of Patrick Stevedores
Patrick Corporation
Patrick Corporation Ltd was an Australian publicly listed logistics conglomerate. Headed by CEO Chris Corrigan before it was absorbed by Toll Holdings in 2006, Patrick had interests in shipping, rail and aviation, including a 62% shareholding in airline Virgin Blue...
Managing Director Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan is an Australian businessman. He was the Managing Director of the Patrick Corporation until it was taken over in 2006....
.
Cast
- Daniel Frederiksen as Greg CombetGreg CombetGregory Ivan Combet AM MP is an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions between 2000 and 2007...
- Justin Smith as Josh BornsteinJosh BornsteinJosh Bornstein is an Australian Lawyer. He is the son of former ALP State MP David Bornstein. Josh is a Principal at Maurice Blackburn where he heads the national Employment & Industrial Law practice....
- Anthony HayesAnthony Hayes (actor)Anthony Hayes is an Australian actor, best known for his role as Jack McLeod in the acclaimed Australian series McLeod's Daughters....
as Sean McSwain1998 Australian waterfront disputeThe Australian waterfront dispute of 1998 was a watershed event in Australian Industrial Relations history, in which the Patrick Corporation undertook a restructuring of their operations for the purpose of increasing the productivity of their workforce... - Geoff Morrell as Chris CorriganChris CorriganChris Corrigan is an Australian businessman. He was the Managing Director of the Patrick Corporation until it was taken over in 2006....
- Rhys MuldoonRhys MuldoonRhys Muldoon is an Australian actor, writer and director who has worked extensively in film, television, theatre and radio.-Television:...
as Julian BurnsideJulian BurnsideJulian William Kennedy Burnside AO QC is an Australian barrister, human rights and refugee advocate, and author. He is known for his staunch opposition to the mandatory detention of asylum seekers, and has provided legal counsel in a wide array of high-profile cases...
, QC - Francis GreensladeFrancis GreensladeFrancis Greenslade is an Australian comic actor. He and comedic partner Shaun Micallef appeared on the legal comedy Welcher and Welcher, as well as Full Frontal...
as Bill KeltyBill KeltyWilliam John "Bill" Kelty, AC is an Australian trade unionist and a well-known figure in the Australian labour movement, who served as Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 1983 to 2000.... - Mike Bishop as Peter ReithPeter ReithPeter Keaston Reith, , former Australian politician, was a Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party and then a senior Cabinet minister in the first two terms of the Howard Government.-Early life:...
- Jack ThompsonJack Thompson (actor)Jack Thompson, AM is an Australian actor and one of the major figures of Australian cinema. He was educated at University of Queensland, before embarking on his acting career. In 2002, he was made an honorary member of the Australian Cinematographers Society...
as Tony Tully - Dan Wyllie as Brendan Tully
- Lucy BellLucy BellLucy Bell is a British-born Australian television and film actress. Her partner is James O'Loghlin and they have three daughters.- Television :...
as Petra Hilsen - Colin FrielsColin Friels-Background and training:Friels was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland. His mother was a mill worker and his father a joiner. He lived in Kilbirnie until 1963, when his family moved to Australia, arriving in Darwin, Northern Territory before settling in the Melbourne suburb of Broadmeadows...
as John Coombs - Deborah KennedyDeborah KennedyDeborah Kennedy is an Australian actress recognised for several television and film roles, and for her appearance in an advertisement.Kennedy began her acting career on the stage, with the Marian Street Theatre, Killara, appearing in The Trojan Woman and Macbeth...
as Gwen Coombs - Christopher Widdows as Garry Coombs
- Caroline CraigCaroline CraigCaroline Craig is an Australian television and stage actress, and television director, based in Sydney Australia...
as Tali Bernard - Justine ClarkeJustine ClarkeJustine Clarke is an Australian actor and singer. She has been acting since the age of seven and has appeared in some of Australia's best-known TV shows...
as Janine McSwain - Jeremy KewleyJeremy KewleyJeremy Leo Kewley is an Australian actor, based in Melbourne, who made his professional acting debut at the age of 14 in the feature film The Devil's Playground .-Early life:...
as Frank Parry - Kevin Harrington as Derek Corrigan
- Helen ThomsonHelen ThomsonHelen MacLeod Thomson is a member of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors and a former Democratic assemblywoman from California's 8th Assembly district. Thomson was first elected to the assembly in 1996 and served three two-year terms...
as Valerie Corrigan - Anna Lise PhillipsAnna Lise PhillipsAnna Lise Phillips is an Australian actress. Phillips grew up in Darwin and toured the Northern Territory with a youth theatre group before moving to the National Institute of Dramatic Art. She graduated from NIDA in 1996...
as Cherie Snape - Louis Corbett as Joe Corrigan
- Richard Heath as Podge
Degree of fictionalisation
Most of the characters portrayed are real individuals, many of whom were interviewed in the process of writing the drama. However, a number of characters were invented and events were considerably compressed for dramatic purposes. Notably, the waterside workers portrayed in the drama were composites, based on interviews with many waterside workers.Another example of invention was the placing of lawyer Josh Bornstein at a key protest, which would have been illegal because of a court injunction
Response
Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-WellsConcetta Fierravanti-Wells
Concetta Anna Fierravanti-Wells , Australian politician, is a member of Australian Senate for the state of New South Wales...
said in 2006 (whilst still in production) that the series "smacks of another example of wasteful spending by the ABC, being used to drive an anti-government, pro-left agenda, conveniently timed to appear during an election year". Journalist Michael Duffy
Michael Duffy (Australian journalist)
Michael Duffy is an Australian journalist and novelist. Duffy presents ABC Radio National's Counterpoint with Paul Comrie-Thomson, and writes for the Sydney Morning Herald and the Sun Herald...
described the series as "the most blatant union propaganda" and was critical that "80 per cent of the story is told from the union point of view". The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
's Debi Enker, however, described it as a "thoughtful, illuminating and superbly cast account of a seminal event in our recent history [which] represents exactly the kind of drama that one would want the national broadcaster to nurture."
Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan is an Australian businessman. He was the Managing Director of the Patrick Corporation until it was taken over in 2006....
was heavily critical of the series, stating after its screening that "The program portrays a series of predictable stereotypes and silly caricatures and gives them real names then cleverly claims to be a drama and hence does not explore any inconvenient truths such as the impact of the waterfront rorts on ordinary Australians."
Then-Prime Minister John Howard declared the series "One of the most lopsided pieces of political propaganda I've seen on the national broadcaster in years" and argued that it completely ignored the notorious inefficiency of the Australian waterfront and years of collaborative failures to change this.
Criticism has also emerged from some members of the union movement. According to Phillip Adams
Phillip Adams
Phillip Andrew Hedley Adams, AO is an Australian broadcaster, film producer, writer, social commentator, satirist and left-wing pundit. He currently hosts a radio program, Late Night Live, four nights a week on the ABC, and he also writes a weekly column for the News Limited-owned newspaper, The...
, Bill Kelty
Bill Kelty
William John "Bill" Kelty, AC is an Australian trade unionist and a well-known figure in the Australian labour movement, who served as Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions from 1983 to 2000....
was concerned that "no researcher, writer or producer - spoke to him about the dispute or his role in it. Yet they haven't hesitated to put words into their Kelty's mouth that the original Kelty never said".. Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan
Chris Corrigan is an Australian businessman. He was the Managing Director of the Patrick Corporation until it was taken over in 2006....
's brother Derek Corrigan has disputed claims that the broadcasting of Bastard Boys was timed to support Greg Combet
Greg Combet
Gregory Ivan Combet AM MP is an Australian politician and trade unionist. He was Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions between 2000 and 2007...
's run for politics "..